Album Review: Espectrostatic "Escape From Witchtropolis"

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

Synthwave artist Espectrostatic (aka Texan Alex Cuervo) describes his intent with new long player, the superbly named 'Escape From Witchtropolis', as 'wanting to do a spooky TV show theme, but with a propulsive motorik beat'. A fine ambition indeed. Also a member of Hex Dispensers, Cuervo has several superbly wrought electronica releases in his back catalogue which are clearly a labour of love; highly detailed and carefully crafted, they are both homage to the vintage electronic soundtracks of horror maestro John Carpenter and unique, Blade Runner-esque glimpses into a frightening and fearful future.

Opener 'Removing The Bandages' is a haunted electronic intro to the album, the ghosts of the past flitting past the protagonist’s eyes with a haze of reverberated electricity. It leads directly into the propulsive, and yes motorik beat of the title track, banks of keyboards and shimmering electronic percussion creating a driven and tension filled main theme. Reminiscent of Chrome at their sci-fi, dystopian finest, the dread filled synths and new wave bassline provides a truly thrilling ride through the smog blackened city. 'The Feral Kids', with its ‘Foetus’ style big band rhythms and bass note piano motif, is a sinister, Ballardian traverse through some especially shadowy streets, the synthesised sound of engines howling across the landscape. 'This Is A War Universe' is a piano led, John Carpenter-esque epic (think 'Escape From New York' as the most immediate influence); electronic drum breakdowns echoing behind the stately melody and whistling harmonies. Cuervo is no amateur; these songs are carefully crafted vistas of sound with expertly handled atmospherics. Vintage whirls, hums and keyboard patches hover as the track builds to a crescendo.

'The Obelisk' is more muted, more spectral; analogue synths and harpsichord merging with some monolithic keyboard stabs and riffs before returning to the electric wasteland once more. It's a towering moment, hugely evocative and perhaps hauntological in a different sense from that which we are aware of in the UK. British hauntology often reflects a unique form of media nostalgia such as 1970s BBC children's TV shows or the sense of dystopia that can be found in archived public service broadcasting safety adverts such as 'Deep Water'. Perhaps the US have their own specific hauntological or psychogeographical past to draw upon; John Carpenter, the aforementioned 'Escape From New York', the new wave of the late 70s, The Velvet Underground, Carnival of Souls and similar B-movies, perhaps the trash and glitter of cable TV. Maybe these artefacts are the blood in the veins of this music.

'She Hunts Them In The Afterlife' robotic coldness and pumping bassline suggests the America of Carpenter’s 'They Live', a blighted landscape of paranoia and broken dreams. 'Sinking Into The Microverse' is a dread filled creep through dangerous and darkened alleys, Brad Fiedel's infamous and hugely influential soundtrack for the original Terminator movie expertly evoked here. 'The Cold Spot's spooked xylophones and epic waves of keyboards are a moment of breath in the tension, a reprieve from the urgency as is 'Abandoned Places' which shimmers into view, a widescreen dawn that suggests a post-apocalyptic cityscape. Filled with melancholy and regret, this is hugely evocative moment and screams out for something celluloid to accompany. 'Transmogrifier's sinister hum and electronic howl winds through the estates and buildings of Witchtropolis, filling the avenues and alleyways with analogue dread. A synthesised choir join the coda, a stately procession for the dead. 'The Goddamn Apocalypse' ends the album, decayed piano and backwards reverb building to a heart wrenching finale amongst the solar wind.

A hugely inventive and descriptive recording, a soundtrack for an imaginary film and just a very fine piece of vintage electronica, 'Escape From Witchtropolis' is a successful listen however you approach it. You may wish to escape from but you will most probably want to re-enter at some point shortly after to experience the adrenaline and rush of this unique album once again.

troubleinmindrecs.com

Gig Review: Nick Cave Dec. 9, St James Theatre, Wellington, NZ

Reviewed by Nathan Ford, iPhone photo by Lotus Hattersley.

Last night's show (Nick's second of two in this venue, following one on the previous night) was pretty much picture perfect. Billed as a Nick Cave solo show, Nick was never actually on stage alone. Four key Bad Seeds accompanied him on most songs; Warren Ellis, Thomas Wydler, Martyn P. Casey, and Barry Adamson, with the spotlight shining on Nick alone for the occasional solo piano track performance.

I've seen Nick before with a much larger Bad Seeds ensemble and in comparison this stripped back approach really allows the songs to breathe, highlighting the intensity of Nick's vocal performance. And that vocal performance was fantastic; I can't imagine that he's ever sounded better. Unlike the majority of his peers, Nick's vocals are getting better and better with every passing year, aiding him in picking out subtle nuances that allow new arrangements of classic material like "The Weeping Song" to shine. Whether roaming the stage like a serpentine preacher, or perched at the piano, every second of this performance saw him consumed by the quiet intensity of his songs, which made his warm and appreciative between song banter even more surprising.

And despite the solo billing, Cave's conspirators were much more than just a faceless supporting cast. Warren Ellis remained seated throughout, in stark contrast to the barely restrained energy of his performance on a myriad of different instruments. Thomas Wydler's work behind the kit was exceptional, whether subtly caressing the cymbals with his brushes, or providing a fluent barrage of snare and crashes - particularly effective on "From Her To Eternity" which has never sounded tighter than here. And Martyn P. Casey and Barry Adamson's work on bass and keys respectively provided that dangerous, slinky groove which is the key component to the Bad Seeds sound.

Excellent selection of material too. Plenty of early stuff with "Jack the Ripper" and "Up Jumped the Devil" bringing the house down, as well as a smattering of 'hits' - notably a rousing "Red Right Hand". But it was the slowburning "Push The Sky Away" which provided the most riveting diversions; "Higgs Boson Blues" built to nearly unbearable levels of intensity, while Ellis exploded into life with a life affirming noise solo to help the crescendo of "Mermaids" reach it's apex. And "Push The Sky Away" itself closed the show out - the fifth encore - with it's brooding keys striking a perfect balance between introspection and the hint of menace.

Set List:

We Real Cool
The Weeping Song
Red Right Hand
Sad Waters
Higgs Boson Blues
Mermaids
The Ship Song
From Her to Eternity
I Let Love In
Love Letter
Up Jumped the Devil
Water's Edge
Black Hair
Lay Me Low
The Mercy Seat
Jubilee Street

Encore:

We No Who U R
People Ain't No Good
Breathless
Jack the Ripper
Push the Sky Away

Album Review: Andy Wade "Pushing Senses"

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

What runs through the blood of the Wade family? Judging by this debut effort from Andy Wade (brother of Dodson and Fogg's Chris Wade) it is some mysterious psychedelic musical elixir. The two brothers released a splendid joint album, 'Rexford Bedlo' (reviewed elsewhere on these pages) earlier this year and, in not dissimilar fashion to his brother's Dodson's output, Andy proves equally prolific in following this up only months later with 'Pushing Senses'.

From the outset Wade's strong melodic sense is evident, 'So Far Away’ s strident riffs and dynamics recalling Steven Wilson's solo work in its merging of coruscating guitar, organ and tricky time signatures. It is an impressive opener and one that will appeal to fans of both Dodson and a bluesier, harder rocking sound. He then throws us sideways with an absolutely beautiful slice of folk melancholy with 'Something More', mandolin and finger picked guitar evoking the troubled spirit of John Martyn. 'Farewell My Love' continues at the folkier end of the spectrum, albeit before twisting into a more Kinksian or classic English psychedelic rock with a hint of Elvis Costello. Effortlessly melodic and memorable this is finely crafted material, Wade has obviously honed and crafted these songs, carefully accentuating the hooks and highlighting the harmonic resonance that fills this record. 'Home Is Where You Are' is nothing if not a classic pop song, Wades' emotive vocals carrying the song forward on a simple percussive acoustic beat. Make no mistake though; this is not standard rock fare. A backwards guitar solo entirely unexpectedly enters the song before it returns to its central melody. Indeed these dark shadows and quirks appear throughout the album, meaning the music herein strikes a note on one hand of being a psych masterpiece in the vein of Ray Davies work, whilst on the other hand these unexpected features accentuate Wade's singular, unique muse. Indeed, there are obtuse corners and curious and liberally sprinkled surprise moments throughout. 'Cold Winter' for example, is a plaintive and affecting piece of acoustic balladry but it is also welded, winningly, to an almost gothic (in the sense of The Cult and The Mission) bassline and flanged guitar. 'Falling For You' is a heartfelt full on psych monster whilst 'I Don't Know' is a piano led Warren Zevon-esque philosophical paean to humankind, with some truly incredible bursts of dark psyche guitar. 'Take My Hand' is a garage stomp of fuzz and lo-fi punk attitude and is truly exhilarating whilst 'Helpless Love', with its descending bassline is a 'Sunday Afternoon' for modern times, downbeat yet eminently catchy in its acidic jangle.

There is also a considerable emotional range on this album, Wade has created something here that is both mature and yet life affirming; there is heartache here but this pain is also life affirming. Fans of Bob Mould's later work in Husker Du and The American Music Club will find much to love here, indeed 'Something Beautiful' could be an outtake from 'Candy Apple Grey'. And there is darkness; 'Take Me Away' is a gentle twilit acoustic slow burner, while 'Walking on the Wrong Side of Every Street' is a tortured organ and piano led lament. 'Outta My Head' is an effective howl into the storm, a plea for peace of mind whilst follower 'Watching You From Afar' is a veritable mountain of a song, explosive drums and guitar feedback enveloping Wade’s voice, his vocals carrying the melody through the maelstrom. 'Lead You On' is a delicate psych pop nugget before closer 'Last Call' s choppy guitar and harmonised vocals build and layer towards a breathtaking climatic finish.

And here's the remarkable coda to this album’s story; Wade plays every instrument, produces, arranges and every song is his. It is entirely one man's vision, tracks written over a period of years to then combine together to form this, his magnum opus. This is also a very genuine record; honesty bleeds from every vocal line, every wrung out guitar note and this sense of truth only endears the music to the listener more. Between the Wade brothers English psych is in safe hands. Give your senses a push - give them a treat - with this fine album.

Official Website.

Listen to "Pushing Senses" on Spotify.

Album Review: "Kollektion 2: Roedelius: Electronic Music" Selected by Lloyd Cole

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

As someone with only a passing awareness of Lloyd Cole's music, I must confess that I'm surprised to hear that he's a rampant synthesizer fancier, and a big fan in particular of the music of Cluster's Hans-Joachim Roedelius (with whom he collaborated on the album "Selected Studies Vol. 1" in 2013). I'm told that Cole also released an excellent electronic album in 2001 called "Plastic Wood" which makes this influence even more explicit.

Bureau B have taken advantage of this obsession and commissioned Cole to select and sequence this immaculate selection of Roedelius's vintage synthesizer music, following up on Tim Gane's excellent Sky Records multi-artist selection from several months ago. It's one of two releases from Bureau B to recognize and celebrate Roedelius' 80th birthday (the other, which I haven't heard, is "Tape Archive 1973-1978"). "Electronic Music" (as this release is known) is pretty great.

Cole credits Roedelius with the melodic sensibility and warmth that made Cluster's music more attainable than a number of their peers, and those qualities are further evidenced by the solo selections chosen here by Cole, who had extensive access to Roedelius' solo archives during the selection process.

It sounds like pretty groundbreaking stuff, even now, with the envelope-pushing likes of Boards of Canada mining similar territory now that evokes wistful and slightly musty nostalgia in the best possible ways. And like all exceptional compilations, it paints an accurate and complete portrait of the artist concerned in a self contained fashion that makes it an ideal representation for those who feel they only need one disc of this stuff, or an excellent starting point for those (like myself) for whom it has instilled a hunger to investigate further.

Essential proto-electronic / kosmische. Hats off to Mr Cole for spreading the word.

Available on CD, and vinyl.

Album Review: Monta At Odds "Robots of Munich"

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

Brothers Dedric and Delaney Moore are fully entrenched in the Kansas City psychedelic scene - they're even involved in the organisation of the KC Psych Fest. With that in mind, you'd perhaps expect their music to tread a fairly traditional psychedelic path, but the latest release from their band Monta At Odds is anything but traditional.

A concept album based on Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (the basis for Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner"), "Robots of Munich" is an extremely progressive release. It's very much made in a way that celebrates the essence of psychedelia, without being pinned down into any of the sub-genres that can limit the adventurous approach of that mindset.

Interestingly, the Moore Brothers have another, more synth-orientated band (Gemini Revolution), and their latest release "Synthesize" wears its influence of Vangelis' "Blade Runner" soundtrack very openly on its sleeve, but this more closely related piece of music only touches very briefly on that influence.

"Robots of Munich" certainly does feature Delaney's synthesizer's extensively, but the rhythm section are equally important here, providing a tight, and often quite funky bedrock for the synthesizer's frequent trips into headier territory. Stripped of those synths, some of these tunes could pass for early LCD Soundsystem works. And the cross-genre pollination rears its head again and again here, with the impression being that the band member's wide ranging listening activities have naturally led to this, rather than it being a conscious decision on anyone's part.

This approach makes "Robots of Munich" a unique album, where comparisons can only reveal a small part of the story. Is it psychedelia? Art-pop? Old school electronica? It's all of these things and more, instilled with the adventurous spirit of Bowie's Berlin trilogy, the explorative thrust of early seventies Miles Davis, and the world conquering pop smarts of early eighties Talking Heads.

And you can sample a track from it below, although it's best consumed in its entirety.

Available here.

Album Review: Violet Woods "S/T"

Reviewed by Kent Whirlow

November saw the debut full-length release from Cambridge, UK's Violet Woods. And what a lovely release it is. "Electric Fascination" starts off with a rather ominous keyboard followed by a mysterious twelve-string guitar that slowly spins a musical web around the listener. The vocals are nice - just the right amount of reverb is present to create a beautiful sound without ever going overboard. The song begins to build with some fine guitar playing augmented by just the right tempo from the rhythm section. "Over the Ground" contains some really nice psychedelic flourishes - again, splendid guitar playing with that lovely keyboard bubbling under. By the time the track ends, we have been treated to a fairly intense workout.

Certain sixties influences are very prevalent here along with a little bit of Paisley Underground - but this record still manages to deliver a contemporary and fresh sound. "Here" has a pleasant West-coast feel to it. We are treated to some pretty intricate guitar playing and the backing vocals really are quite pleasant. There's a strange bit of a Deja Vu feeling that I get while listening to this album; I feel as though I already know it - however, that is not to suggest that it is too derivative of its influences - everything is sort of just in the right place; the arrangements work - and they work well.

"The Dancer" is the shortest track on the record and almost feels as though it is a lost classic plucked from the vaults of the sixties. It starts off with a very Byrdsy beginning (always a great thing) and progresses until, quite unexpectedly, the whole band really cuts loose and engages in a full-scale, surprisingly heavy psychedelic freak out.

"Take Your Time" is perhaps the most unassuming track, though no less enjoyable than the others. It really gives the band the opportunity to stretch out a bit. "What I Need" is fantastic; how can they possibly miss with this opening line: "Strolling through the streets of gentrification, wrapped up in a calico coat"? This really reminds me of some of the finest moments of the 80's - that great vibe as much as, if not more than, the music itself. The interplay between the guitar and the keyboards really works and things ultimately swirl into a very pleasant piece.

"Raw Love" was also a single from 2012 and a very nice pop-sike track that will transport you to a happier place. "Driftwood Royalty" probably sticks in my mind more than any other track; it really reminds me of Felt, which is surely a terrific thing.

"The River" is a fitting song to close out the album. The driving drumbeat, the haunting keyboard, subtle yet very effective backing vocals and furious guitar really seem to coalesce into a singular statement from a very promising band. This is an impressive debut, to be certain.

Vinyl, CD and digital all available here:

Album Review: Simon Magus & The Holy See "Children of Bow Abbey"

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

‘The Children of Bow Abbey’, a little remembered or seen 1970’s children's TV programme, has since fallen into notoriety due to its absolutely terrifying nature and potted history. The show was deemed far too unsettling for children and moved to a late night TV slot after only one episode was screened.  For those that recall seeing this one traumatic late afternoon TV experience or for those who stayed up or snuck downstairs to follow the disturbing action unfold, Simon Magus and The Holy See's soundtrack will undoubtedly play a major part of their memories. And what music it is, a veritable suite of ghostly electronics and creeped out composition. Once again we have the artistic hub of Villa 9 to thank for uncovering this musical relic from true obscurity. And thankful we should be as, short of the theme for 'Children of The Stones' or perhaps 'Chocky', there is little in the way of classic 70s paganesque kid’s TV that has a soundtrack as eerily unsettling as this one. A generation of night terrors were truly born with the watching of at least one episode of this misjudged but ground-breaking curio and hearing its accompanying musical backing.

The soundtrack begins with Villa 9 production logo tone, a sure sign that what we are about to hear is of the highest quality. 'The Children Of Bow Abbey' follows with a spooked out mirage of birdsong, a disembodied and reverbed child's voice intoning 'Ring A Ring A Roses' and the most creeped out yet stately harpsichord you will ever hear. Echoes of John Carpenter’s score for 'The Fog' abound and we are left questioning; what was music of this quality and resonance doing in a children's TV programme? Haunted harmonies criss-cross and interweave, expertly evoking a nightmarish nostalgia. The track ends with the laughter and playing of children and one long ominous analogue hum, a terrifying conclusion. 'The Dark and Lonely Place', with its solitary and ghostly clarinet and descending vintage synths, should really have been the backing for the creepiest of adult dramas or European arthouse thrillers. What was in the water in the 70s and early 80s that provoked such superb but unsettling children's TV shows? 'The Owl Service', 'Children of the Stones', Noah's Ark', 'Sky’, ‘The Changes' and 'Bow Abbey' itself...all either deeply heathen or apocalyptic.

'Departures' is an overture of loss and disturbance, an electric sonata dedicated to something...unhuman. 'Footprints in the Cellar' in turn is a church organ led perfectly pitched package of dread. These pieces would not be out of place at all in a Giallo or Argento film, nor any by the afore mentioned John Carpenter, for these are serious, crafted compositions. It does seem as though gifted composers channelled their talents where they able to back in these dark twentieth century days; and if it was children's TV, so be it. Witness for example Ken Freeman’s 'The Tripods' theme, a veritable electronic symphony, or Paddy Kingsland’s opening title music for ‘The Changes'; both eminent pieces of electronica. 'Bow Abbey' is very much of this standard and in this linage. It's is a hugely haunting affair, the motifs and atmospheres are left with you long after the music has ceased, taking up a hellish hiding place in your head and refusing to be cast out. 'The Child Outside The Window' (that very title evoking terrifying memories of the infamous scene in the TV adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot’) is a mix of backwards kid's voices that segues into 'Museum Of Mannequins', a montage of vintage keyboard squelches and glistening glockenspiel (which, curiously, seems to have been the 'go to' sound of the 'unexplained' during the 70s). This descends into echoing giggles and laughter and the sound of numerous music boxes playing at once, a sound that will undoubtedly haunt your dreams for days and nights after hearing. 'Behind The Attic Door' s whispered voices and reverberated piano notes hint at what is lurking there (don't go in!) whilst 'A Delicate Melody' is just that, a perfect piece of analogue that Tangerine Dream themselves would be proud of. Beautiful in its night time shimmer and subtly plucked notes this track (and indeed the soundtrack as a whole) stands on its own as a hugely successful and crucial work of vintage electronica.

'The Playroom' s backwards tapes and unnerving banging suggest somewhere you would never want to enter far less play, it is truly masterful in creating an air of absolute fear. 'The Midnight Music Box' replays the central motif with some gorgeous vintage synth sounds; any fan of hauntological acts such as Belbury Poly, Concretism or The Advisory Service will find much to love here. 'The Shadow of the Mistress' is a deeply evocative fugue, electronic strings (again evoking the closing theme of John Carpenter's soundtrack for ‘The Fog’) washing over a shimmering Satie-esque series of piano and glockenspiel notes. 'Trapped in the Attic' evokes just that feeling; a hollow wind and the album’s creeped out central motif again resonating as if in the darkest and deepest of caverns. Harpsichord enters before the track starts to twist, squirm and play in reverse, heightening its disturbing nature even more. 'Is Anyone Upstairs?' gives us a brooding electric requiem mass before 'Departures' reprises with its beautiful melancholy piercing the gloom. 'The Horrors in the Cellar', a cacophony of time stretched screams and wails, is not something to play in the dark, ever. It is hugely, terrifyingly effective. And then, it is over. The ‘End titles’ play, returning us to the ominous, descending notes of the Bow Abbey theme. What have we just heard or witnessed? That question must have been in the thoughts of thousands of petrified school children throughout the UK one sepia afternoon in the 70s. Listening now, many will remember the fear of watching but not all the detail, some may even recall this music and may find themselves transported back to terror upon hearing this soundtrack. Some will remember every detail and that is why, 40 years on, they still struggle to sleep soundly at night.

Whilst quite obviously deeply inappropriate as a lost children's TV soundtrack (it's far too good for a start) this is a stunning work of classic electronica, up there with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and White Noise's 'An Electric Storm'. These December nights are darkening now, the still, cold winter is just the time for reminiscence and in the silent night we might still hear the ghoulish laughter and sound of The Children of Bow Abbey. Leave the lights on, close the curtains and tell yourself this was all long ago......or was it?

Available free here.

Dual Planet Reissues / Gemini Revolution / Thomas McConnell / Slight / Beaulieu Porch

By Nathan Ford

Australian reissue / archival label Dual Planet are going from strength to strength following on from these excellent Radiophonic releases. For an idea of the sort of care that goes into their releases, think Finders Keepers - a label that they've formed a relationship with, and compare favourably to. Their latest batch of releases are a synth lovers dream. The most well-known is the self titled debut from Melbourne based band Cybotron. Originally released in 1976, original pressings routinely go for big bucks on eBay, but this lovely reissue will happily fill the gap on my shelves. Lovers of Berlin-school will already know about this album, and will presumably be reaching for their wallets as we speak. Those who enjoy their Tangerine Dream-isms with a more unpredictable tingle ala Ash-Ra Tempel should do likewise. At the more obscure end of the spectrum we have two synth laden Australian soundtrack releases. Brian May's score for the 1982 video-nasty "Turkey Shoot" is a brooding electronic beast, heavily influenced by contemporary Italian zombie / cannibal cinema. And this is the Brian May who scored "Mad Max", "Patrick" and "The Day After Halloween", not the curly haired Queen gentleman who makes guitars out of mantelpieces. Even more obscure is Andrew Thomas Wilson's score for 1980 nuclear disaster film "The Chain Reaction", another primitive electronic gem which deftly balances anxiety-inducing, Carpenter-esque drone, with driving electro-pop. I'm forever thankful that we find ourselves in a time when obscurities like this are finding their way to our ears.

And while we're talking vintage synth opuses, there's plenty of new stuff around that plays upon the classic-era sounds without descending into parody. The four pronged synthesizer creation known as Gemini Revolution are among the best for those who like their synth sounds to evoke exploding nebula, rather than creeping menaces. Their new album, "Synthesize", is full of lovely ambient moments and sweeping synth washes, juxtaposed nicely with more percussive elements, and recurring melodic motifs with surprisingly sharp hooks. These earworms make themselves known on repeated listens, providing a lure that makes "Synthesize" more than just mood music - although it fits that job description exceptionally too. Perfect for inner traveling or soundtracking that old Philip K. Dick paperback you've been meaning to revisit.

And now for something completely different; Liverpudlian Thomas McConnell has been mentioned favourably in these pages before, and I dare say he will be again. His latest single "Crocodile" sees him moving away a little from his earlier "Abbey Road" fixations into a more seventies influenced direction. There's a big dash of glam, and lashings of ornate E.L.O orchestration to be found here, with numerous hooks which are frankly irresistible (and why would you want to resist them?). It all sounds very much like it should be accompanied by a 1973 Top of the Pops performance, with large sideburns and silver trousers, and is unapologetically chipper, and marvelous. I'm smiling right now, and miserable bugger that I am, I don't do a lot of that. Check out the video here.

Also excellent is the new double a-side single from Montreal psychedelic art poppers Slight. Their hooky numbers have a great, major-label production sheen to them, and take influence from an esoteric and varied set of sources in a way that reminds me a lot of Metronomy, Field Music and Django Django. This is music very much of that caliber also so it comes as some surprise that they're giving it away free through their Bandcamp page, rather than being plastered all over the independent music papers. Download, spread the word, and help these talented chaps find the success that their songs warrant.

Beaulieu Porch is an old favourite here at the Active Listener, and you're possibly sick of us banging on about them/him. But I'm going to anyway as My Berry keeps getting better, and better. "Golden Face" / "The Carmelita Devine" is a free download (for a limited time) as a taster for an upcoming album, and sees the Porch continuing to expand their sound. While Berry's distinctive, helium-soaked vocals are of course notably present, "Golden Face" sees a move away from "Strawberry Fields" to somewhere more gritty, but still unmistakeably infused with classic psychedelic pop. Bodes well for the coming album.

E.P Review: Mogwai "Music Industry 3 Fitness Industry 1"

Reviewed by Nathan Ford

You could piece together an alternate history of Mogwai by focusing solely on their E.Ps. And that history would make them seem like a much more eclectic outfit than studying their albums alone. The Glaswegian post-rock kingpins have long used the E.P format as an outlet for experimentation, as well as a resting place for recent material that doesn't fit the mood or texture of the album sessions it was recorded during.

Which brings us to "Music Industry 3 Fitness Industry 1", a new six track E.P featuring three tracks recorded during the "Rave Tapes" sessions, and three remixes of tracks originally featured on "The Rave Tapes".

Opener and lead single "Teenage Exorcists" will definitely put the cat among the pigeons. Eschewing their normal slow-build mentality, it announces its intentions straight away, hitting full steam within the first ten to fifteen seconds. It's also in possession of perhaps the most straightforward verse/chorus/verse structure that Mogwai have dabbled in over their long history, including a big hooky chorus which suggests that they could still have a few surprises up their collective sleeve if they were to put out a more conventional, vocal-focused album.

"History Day" and "HMP Shaun William Ryder" are much less surprising. Both moody builders, it seems that these were left off of "The Rave Tapes" due to time constraints, rather than a drop in quality or difference in mood to that material.

We all know by now that Mogwai like a good remix, in all fairness, probably more than their fans do. Which means that enjoyment of these last three tracks is entirely dependent on the flexibility of the listener. Blanck Mass's remix is a little too much of a Prodigy-style banga for me to fully surrender to, but Pye Corner Audio and Nils Frahm acquit themselves particularly well. Martin Jenkins A.K.A Pye Corner Audio (who toured as an opening act for Mogwai recently) does particularly well, stripping "No Medicine For Regret" back to a ghostly, skeletal state which suggests that a full blown collaborative effort could be a particularly rewarding experience.

This is a really nice companion piece to "The Rave Tapes". I'm aware that there are a number of people out there who feel that the band have been treading water, and recycling ideas of late. While I'd posit that those listeners haven't really been paying attention, a quick listen to this may be all that's required to get them to start a process of reevaluation.

Available on CD, and 12" vinyl E.P.

Album Review: Amenità "Rêverie"

Reviewed by Grey Malkin (The Hare & The Moon)

Amenità (the alias of composer vocalist Marie Gold) has been working her dark magic around the fringes of electronica for the last few years, casting musical spells that might fall under the of genre of witchhouse (her label Phantasmadisques favoured genre) but are also equal parts hauntology and glistening 4AD styled purple psychedelic pop in the vein of mid 80s Siouxsie And The Banshees and the spectral This Mortal Coil.

Album opener 'Partita Lacrimosa' is a midnight black analogue hum of whispered vocals and twinkling black cascades of chimes and bells, synthetic howls gradually devouring the track leaving only the wind and a spiralling guitar line. This is the Banshees' 'Kiss in the Dreamhouse' meets the haunted electronic church choir of experimental acts such as Joseph Curwen or Coil. 'The Quiet Death's percussive tolling evokes an almost processionary rhythm, giving the track a ritualistic and dread filled air. This is soundtrack music for nightmares and night terrors, yet it is also curiously beautiful and utterly bewitching. Gold's vocals end the track as electronic slabs of doom and harpy howls echo and fade around her. ‘Rêverie’ is a gothic hymnal; layered vocals waterfall over plucked strings and distorted synths; think Miranda Sex garden meets Time Machines era Coil. Yet this music remains utterly original, it is Gold’s own distinct vision. 'Lover's Grief' is a wintery lament, ice cold and ghostlike in its reverberated slabs of keyboard menace and folk balladry. Fans of Chris and Cosey, X-TG and Dead Can Dance will find much to love here. This is not easy music, but it has no pretence to be. Instead this is a layered, textured and finely composed electronic choral symphony. It disturbs, it delights and it confounds; there are plentiful dark corners and shadows for sounds to emerge and take refuge in. Yet it is never anything other than enchanting; this music has a cold, doomed beauty of its own and is fairytale like in its unfolding atmosphere and otherworldliness. 'Hauntingly Beautiful' is indeed just that; pristine waves of Marie's vocals lapping across an electronic tideline, evocative and magical in its wraith like charm. 'Invoking Kali' is a chanted, backward loop, an unsettling choral piece. Yet this too becomes something hypnotic, entrancing and alluring. 'Distorted Memory' opens with a fractured musical box, echoes of something monstrous interrupting its off kilter chimes. Gold's harmonies enter as the music box wildly loops; a haunted house of a song. ‘Amaterasu' is a shimmering, silvery slice of analogue feedback and priestess like vocals, an incantation to the night. A single, repeated bell wanders through the darkness, the chant receding. It is breathtaking, an utterly chilling and gorgeous moment. A remix of ‘Rêverie’ ends the album displaying in its new form quite a different song indeed, a sonic cathedral made of Gold's voice, backwards loops and electronic glitches.

Truly unique and quite unlike anything else you will hear, Amenità has created a dark kaleidoscopic treasure of an album. Uneasy listening perhaps but also essential, this album takes experimental electronica into an entirely different realm, one of fairy tales and folklore. This is moon music, just right for these black, winter evenings.